At Washwood Heath Academy we deliver a powerful knowledge rich curriculum to all learners because it equips children with the tools they need to succeed in life by introducing them to the ‘best that has been thought and said and helps them to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement. We deliver a powerful knowledge-rich curriculum to our learners with the view to their development as global citizens able to make a positive contribution in the local and wider communities of the future. We believe our curriculum is ambitious, broad and balanced and we are committed to providing learners with the best life chances possible, irrespective of their background and starting point. Therefore, the curriculum is designed to give all learners, including the disadvantaged and those with SEND needs, the knowledge, skills and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. The curriculum is sequenced towards knowledge retention and developing skills for future learning and employment. We offer a full, broad, and balanced curriculum with a diverse range of subjects including the Core and Foundation subjects which is extended to include where needed, ESOL & ASDAN and some Entry Level Qualifications for a small number of students. 

 

The curriculum places powerful and rich knowledge at its heart. It considers and specifies a broad range of knowledge forms including:

• Declarative knowledge (key facts and information)
• Procedural knowledge (skills and application)
• Experiential knowledge (developed through activity) Has a focus on the Disciplinary Literacy of each given subject area.

 

The curriculum is thoughtfully constructed to reflect the Academy’s local context and to incorporate what informed leaders firmly believe should be taught, in what order, whilst reflecting upon what learners remember and how they remember it. This allows learners to make meaningful connections and gain an understanding of how our world is connected. The curriculum provides opportunities through all subjects and for all ages to be exposed to the diverse world in which we live, to explore and develop character and help learners to act ethically, with compassion, empathy and with a sense of citizenship. Exposing learners to a rich and varied range of experiences in turn raises the cultural capital for all.

Key Stage 3. We offer a 3-year Key Stage 3 which has been developed to support progression and successful transition from primary school – both the Washwood Heath Primary phase and other feeder primary schools. The curriculum is designed to engage and motivate our young children and provide them with a passion for learning. Pupils experience a range of subjects that promote the development of skills, knowledge & independent learning.

Key Stage 4. Our 2-year Key Stage 4 curriculum is designed to build and reinforce on the prior knowledge gained in Key Stage 3. The curriculum is broad, and students experience the full National Curriculum, giving them opportunities to explore each subject whilst learning the key knowledge and principles required. The curriculum is designed to secure knowledge & prepare for Post 16.

 

Washwood Heath Academy’s Curriculum Principles

We believe our curriculum should:

• Be broad, balanced and appropriate and remain as broad as possible for as long as possible regardless of demographic or starting point.
• Be coherent and sequential so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught, to secure strong student outcomes.
• Allow all learners to develop their potential, achieve and experience success.
• Be informed by evidence, theory and research e.g. utilising cognitive science strategies to help students retain and recall knowledge to allow future learning.
• Acknowledge our contextual needs by giving high priority to increasing learners’ mastery of functional literacy, vocabulary and numeracy to maximise learners’ opportunities for future learning and employment.
• Ensure effective transition at all key stages.
• Provide opportunities to develop SMSC, Character, Careers and Equality/Diversity education.
• Enable learners to keep safe, and to know about options available to them to enjoy healthy lifestyles, relationships, experience of the world of work and play a full part in society by learning what it means to be a British citizen.
• Make explicit links to future career pathways alongside a programme of advice and guidance based on the Gatsby benchmarks to prepare students for life and work.
• Provide opportunities for learning outside the classroom; increasing cultural capital, raising aspirations and increasing students’ appreciation of subjects beyond just examination content.
• Meet statutory National Curriculum expectations

 

Washwood Heath Academy’s Curriculum Construction Principles

• Our curriculum is structured in a logical and chronologically appropriate manner.
• Our curriculum is an all-through curriculum covering all phases from our Primary to our Sixth Form. subject leaders from primary and secondary collaborate when working on curriculum design and developing subject knowledge. Year six to year seven transition units are created in all subject areas. 
• Leaders carefully plan to ensure that appropriate knowledge and skills build upon what has been taught previously and are carefully developed before application into more challenging and complex situations, appropriate to the different curricular end points.
• Our understanding of cognitive psychology is used to maximise potential learning gains. For example, opportunities to regularly revisit knowledge are carefully planned to allow the best opportunities to improve student retention and recall.

To find out more about our curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2, please contact Mrs Powis Jones on enquiry@washwood.academy

To find out more about our curriculum for Key Stages 3 & 4, please contact Mr Hobson on enquiry@washwood.academy

To find out more about our curriculum for Key Stage 5, please contact Mr Antell on enquiry@washwood.academy

Please click here for more information about the curriculum for each of our subject areas.